UNISON call commits Labour to defending public services

Saturday 30 October 2010

UNISON today called on Labour to focus on protecting public services and to build a nationwide campaign to defend vital services.

The union – which represents more than 160,000 members providing public services across Scotland – received huge support for its contemporary motion which was debated at the Scottish Labour Party Conference in Oban today.

The motion called on Labour to build a robust campaign in defence of public services and to urge public bodies, particularly local authorities, to publish full details of the impact the cuts will have on local services and local economies. It also highlights the importance of public investment and expenditure in sustaining employment and demand, as well as providing essential help and support to those struggling with redundancies, reduced incomes, repossessions and rising joblessness.

Dave Watson, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser, said:

 “Labour has today committed to defending public services and to fighting the coalition’s cuts agenda. The scale of the threat to jobs and services cannot be understated and public services must be seen as part of the solution to our economic difficulties, not part of the problem”

Gordon McKay, Chair of UNISON Labour Link Scotland, said:

“Today Labour has shown that it is on the side of the people. The party is now committed to resisting the austerity agenda dreamt up by the Con Dems after their friends in the city had wrecked the economy. Alternative budgets and economic impact assessments will play a crucial role in publicising the damage that is being done to services.”




ends

For more information on UNISON’s alternatives to the cuts go to www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks

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UNISON's Better Way - some of the first 20,000 reasons to Mobilise

UNISON Scotland members and supporters formed a main part of the STUC's 20,000-strong There is a Better Way march and rally in Edinburgh on Saturday 23 October 2010.  Here are some of the reasons why they were demonstrating against the ConDem cuts and for a Better Way to fund our vital public services. And here are reasons for members to get involved in UNISON Scotland campaigns - Public Works: and the Mobilise 2010 campaigning event on 19-21 November in Glasgow.

(See UNISON Scotland site http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ for more info)


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UNISON on the Edinburgh demo - NHS Glasgow Clyde CVS branch

Here's the UNISON NHS Glasgow Clyde and CVS branch video of yesterday's 20,000 strong march in Edinburgh, as featured on UNISON Scotland YouTube channel


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Sunday Mail: 20,000 Scots take to streets of Edinburgh to protest against spending cuts

Oct 24 2010 Mark Aitken, Sunday Mail

THOUSANDS of Scots marched in protest at Government spending cuts yesterday as Treasury axeman Danny Alexander battled to justify them.

More than 20,000 joined a rally in Edinburgh to oppose the spending review announced by the Con Dem coalition on Wednesday.

Union leaders warned of strike action over the slashing of public services, which will see Scotland lose around £3billion over the next four years.

Up to 50,000 of the 500,000 public service jobs under threat will be lost in Scotland and the same number could go in the private sector.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress organised the rally and general secretary Grahame Smith said: "If members decide that the best way is to take industrial action then they will do that. I'm not saying that as a threat, but as a fact.

"We want to work constructively with employers but if they are not willing to do that then members will take action to protect their rights."


Full story at Sunday Mail website

More UNISON pics and story to follow here on this blog and on UNISON Scotland website.  


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STV: 20,000 take part in Edinburgh cuts protest

23 October 2010 12:39 GMT

 
More than 20,000 people took to the streets of Edinburgh in a demonstration against cuts to public services.

The march and rally took in unions, political groups and concerned members of the public in a show of unity against the UK Government's spending review.

Organised by the Scottish Trades Union Congress, it aimed to highlight fears about the impact of Chancellor George Osborne's savings package.

Huge cuts amounting to about £81billion across the UK were unveiled on Wednesday - and Scotland is expected to lose about £3 billion over the next four years.

The colourful procession gathered outside City of Edinburgh Council headquarters and stretched at its peak along the entire route to Princes Street Gardens, exceeding organisers' expectations.


Full story at STV website

More UNISON pics and story to follow here on this blog and on UNISON Scotland website.  

BBC Scotland: Unions protest in Edinburgh over public sector cuts

23 October 2010Last updated at 15:09 

 

A rally in Edinburgh to protest at public sector cuts was attended by more than 20,000 demonstrators.

Union group the STUC arranged the event to demonstrate against measures in the UK government's Spending Review.

STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said: "We launched this campaign to dispel the myth that there is no economic alternative to these cuts.

"There is an alternative. Get people back to work, get the economy growing again, and the public finances will largely take care of themselves.

"We also launched this campaign to expose the lie that it is those with the broadest shoulders that will bear the brunt of the cuts."

Union leaders said they had been "overwhelmed" by the response to the protest rally attended by people from across Scotland.

See full story at BBC Scotland News

More UNISON pics and story to follow here on this blog and on UNISON Scotland website. 


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STUC predicts major turnout for There is a Better Way march and rally in Edinburgh

Thousands of trade unionists, community activists and members of general public will join the STUC-led 'There is a Better Way' march on Saturday 23 October.

STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith said:
“Given that we called this event as a launch rather than an end point for our campaign, we are both surprised and delighted by the response we are receiving - not just from our members but from wider Scottish society.

“The intensity of the response will only increase when the implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review sink in over the next two days.

“You only have to look at the list of organisations attending and sending supportive messages to understand the depth of anger and growing level of support for the campaign.”

Notes:
On 23rd STUC will announce a range of future protest activities as well as committing to joint campaigning work with Scotland’s key civic and community organisations.

March details:
Arrangements
The march musters 11.00am at East Market Street Edinburgh at the south side of Waverly Station.
The march will set off at 11.30am. It will travel a route along Princes Street.At approximately 12.30am the march will assemble at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Gardens.The rally will begin at some stage between 12.30 and 1pm depending on the size of the march.



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